Improvement in purifying illuminating-gas



iittrrun snares arena? Grrron.

' ntnn nro RUTHEL, or SAVONA, ITALY.

lMPROVEMENT lljl PURIFYING ILLUMlNATlNG-GAS.

Specification forming partof Letters Patent No. 132,5d2, datedOctobeI' 29, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERTO RUTHEL, gas-engineer, 0i Savona, in the Kingdom of ltaiy, have invent-ed a certain Improvement relating to 'luriiying Gas, of which the followagain used several times over. It regeneratestoo slowly after being several times used, and

then requires afresh treatment to revive it, but one which is easily and cheaply performed.

To prepare the composition I take-a wooden box, watertight, containing about one cubic yard, making it, by preference, live feet long, four feet wide, and six inches deep. Into this i put eight hundred pounds of finclyground sulphur and cnethousaud four hundred pounds of iron filings or parings, cast or wrought. The

iron must be as free as possible from oil or any kind of fat. The iron and sulphur are to be mingled intimately in a dry state. 1 then pour fresh .water on the mixture and work it dili gently with any suitable implement until it has apquired a semi-fluid condition. Alter continuing the agitation from ten to fifteen minutes,the length of time depending on the temperature, the composition will commence to etl'er'vesce and grow black. I. ascribe the eiibrvescenee orboilin g to an escape of hydrogen After three or four hours this action gradually ceases and the composition appears entirely black. The mechanical agitation should be proceeded with during the whole period, and water should be added gradually so as to keep the composition in a condition of batter or porridge. After allowing the com position to remain quiet half an hour I mix with itabout an equal bulk'of Wet; sawdust. This may be done outside of the box. The mixture thus produced ceases to be fluid, but should remain wet. It is preferably shoveled in a heap. Oxidation now commences and 0c cupies from three to four days time. There is ateudency in the mixture to grow hot in this period, which renders it necessary to shovel it from time to time and to keepit wet by gradually adding water. The rise of temperature should not be stopped altogether, as such proceedin g would stop theoxidation. Care should be taken, on the other hand, to keep the mixture wet. It the mixture grows too warm it shows a reddish luster on the outside. It requires shoveling over and agitating every two to three hours. On the third day it should have grown entirely red like the color of cinnamon. After four days operation the com position is allowed to dry, and at this stage is sifted and the lumps crushed so that the .whole is entirely pulverized. A quantity of sawdust is now added which may be varied within Wide limits, the purpose being to decrease thespecific gravity and increase the bulk of the composition. At this stage there is always added sir hundred pounds of freshburnt lime, pulverized, and cold. The whole is now wet again and allowed to stand, shovcled in a heap, for twenty fiour hours.

The composition so prepared is now ready to bc put in the cleaning apparatus. It should be damp enough to be kneaded or worked withoutdit'liculty by the hand. As before suggested;

the composition may be applied on each cleaning'plate to such a height as to leave only space enough to prevent the layers from touching each other. A puriiying-vessel of six cubic yards cayutcity can receive five cubic yards of the composition. During the passage of the gas through the purifier the composition. darkens in color. After passing through about one thousand cubic feet for each cubic foot of the original composition it will be thoroughlyblack. it should now be taken out of the cleaner and spread on the floor. Under these conditions the composition becomes regenerated after about twelve hours, showing the proper reddish color, and it is now fit to be used again after being again properly moistsued for the purpose.

This composition has been in use twentyseven months in the gas-worksof Savona. it yet regenerates thoroughly in from twentyfour to thirty-six hours, and continues to put y ateuch filling one thousand cubic foot oi gas for each cubic foot of the original composition.

It appears thatit requires longer time for regeneration after each use. After about two years the composition regenerates so slowly that it should be subjected to the following operation: The composition should he left in the purifier a little longer than usual, so as to acquire a very black color. It is then taken out and mixedwith onehalf of its weight or fresh-iron filings, a suitable quantity of water being poured on it and agitated in the same way as first described for new composition; but no sulphur is added; 1 believe that the.

sulphur which has been from time to time ab sorbcd from tho gas remains in the composition, so as to avoid the necessity for such addition. No lime is needed at this stage; but sawdust should be added at each new operation, so as to lower the spcciiic gravity.

The old lliammings composition, containing copperas, becomes regenerated in a somewhat similar manner by the addition of fresh iron filings, provided the same are added immediately after the old composition is taken from tho cleaner. It is only at this moment that the sulphur in the composition is free and-in a proper condition tojoiu tho iron.

By this invention muchlabor is saved, and

some space is economized as compared with' any process previously known to me. The

odor dili'used when the covers are removed is less than with other processes, which is an important point in many localities. 1 claim as my invention l. The within-described composition. for gascomposed of sulphur, iron, and lime mingled in the manner and about the proportions herein specified. 1

3. A gas-purifying composition of iron, sulphur, and lime, lightened and made porous by tho additionof sawdust or analogous neutral material, as .and for the purposes herein set forth. 4 i

4. The process herein described of manufacturing gas-purifying composition.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of August, 1872, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses:

Gi'isnrrm RADIF, U. UHAMPENOIS. 

